Texas State joins Pac-12, giving conference 8 football members for FBS league
Correction: A previous story misidentified Gonzaga's membership in the Pac-12. They are a full member in all its sponsored sports besides football.
Texas State formally accepted an invite from the Pac-12 on Monday, June 30, granting the conference the minimum eight teams necessary to maintain FBS status. The move had been expected for a few weeks.
The league, which lost all but two teams after the 2023 season due to conference realignment, formally invited Texas State on June 27, according to a report from ESPN and other outlets.
“We are extremely excited to welcome Texas State as a foundational member of the new Pac-12,” Pac-12 Commissioner Teresa Gould said in the announcement. “It is a new day in college sports and the most opportune time to launch a new league that is positioned to succeed in today’s landscape with student-athletes in mind.
"Under great leadership from Dr. Kelly Damphousse, (Texas State AD) Don Coryell and excellent head coaches, Texas State has shown a commitment to competing and winning at the highest level as well as to providing student-athletes with a well-rounded college experience academically, athletically and socially. We look forward to seeing the Bobcats’ future trajectory continue to shine big and bright.”
Texas State's addition to the Pac-12 brings future membership to nine schools with Gonzaga set to join the conference as a non-football member. Pac-12 leftovers Oregon State and Washington State — along with Boise State, Utah State, Colorado State, San Diego State, Fresno State and Texas State — make up the eight-team football league for 2026, which is set to be the first year of the new conference.
ESPN reported the invitation was extended prior to July 1 in order to avoid a doubled exit fee to leave the Sun Belt and join another conference for the 2026 season. It would jump from $5 million to $10 million on that date.
The Pac-12 recently secured a media rights deal with CBS, which will broadcast Pac-12 games through 2030-31. The FBS requires eight teams for its FBS conferences, and Texas State's move to the Pac-12 satisfies that rule for the rebuilt league.
Here's everything to know of Texas State's move to be the latest new member of the rebuilt Pac-12:
When is Texas State leaving Sun Belt for Pac-12?
Texas State will play one more season in the Sun Belt before joining the Pac-12 on July 1, 2026, along with the other six new programs for the conference.
Texas State will be a full member of the conference, unlike Gonzaga, which is joining the Pac-12 solely for non-football sports.
Texas State exit fee from Pac-12
Texas State's exit fee from the Sun Belt is set at $5 million, according to multiple reports. Getting a deal done before July 1, 2025, is paramount, however, as the exit fee jumps to $10 million after the date for the school to join the Pac-12 on July 1, 2026.
Why is Pac-12 targeting Texas State?
Texas State provides the Pac-12 with the final football member needed to have a full-fledged FBS conference, as the NCAA requires each league to have at least eight football teams to be eligible for a conference-specific bowl game.
Texas State is a large university, with more than 40,000 students enrolled in 2024. The Bobcats also have a promising young football coach in G.J. Kinne, who led them to an 8-5 record in 2024 and 2023.
Texas State also appears to be an affordable addition, given its relatively low buyout total with the Sun Belt. The program also resides in a state that's rich with football talent.
Memphis, Tulane, UTSA and South Florida were all at one points considered as options by the Pac-12, until the four American Athletic Conference programs committed to staying in their current league in September 2024.
How many teams are in the Pac-12?
There are eight teams in the Pac-12 for the 2026 football season, after Oregon State and Washington State were joined by new members Boise State, Utah State, Colorado State, San Diego State, Fresno State and Texas State.
There are nine members of the Pac-12 overall, however, as Gonzaga, a powerhouse in college basketball, is joining the league in 2026 for all sports the university sponsors (which does not include football).